Capping equipment for blowout well

ABSTRACT

Device for blocking off a well in open flow which includes a blocking system (4) for blocking off the well, an anchorage system (3) to support said blocking system (4) and a movable and inclinable support and positioning system (5) which comprises a sliding ramp (6) and mechanism for moving the blocking system (4) to bring it above the end of the casing (2) to be blocked off. Application: exploration, production and storing of hydrocarbons.

The present invention concerns capping equipment for a blowout well.

Whether it be an exploration, or production or even a storage site ofhydrocarbons, whether oil or gas be involved, whether it be on shore oroff, accidental, uncontrolled and powerful accidental leaks ofhydrocarbons may take place, with or without fires.

An end must be put as soon as possible to this highly dangerous andgreatly damaging situation by placing effective sealing means on theblowout conduit.

In the illustrative case of an on-shore production well, as a rule twoparts are involved: a first part consisting of an assembly ofunderground casings joined at the top into a system called casing liner;a second assembly at the surface and consisting of a plurality of valvesusually called the "Christmas tree": this is the top of the producingwell.

In the prior art, a first method is used especially for the uncontrolledblowouts on off-shore or on-shore sites, namely in setting up a distanceaway one or more directional drillings to arrive at the producingdeposit site. This procedure requires transporting and setting up one ormore drilling rigs and all the pertinent logistics. This is a costlysolution because of long and cumbersome methods to stop this blowout.

Another known method on blowout sites consists of ridding the wellapproaches of the superfluous structures (liner head, production head)and then clearing part of the casing to a sufficient height to thereuponmake possible the anchoring of mechanical means designed to support newseals. For that purpose, part of the intermediate string is cleared,enlarging the pit if necessary, then an anchoring collar is placed onthe production casing by means of flanges. This collar also includessealing means. Next, using a vehicle such as a caterpillar with at leastone supporting beam and equipped with a system of cables and pulleys,one of the components of the sealing system is placed on the anchoringcollar. This sealing element is affixed to the edge of the anchoringcollar in one place using bolts and nuts. Next, by means of thetransport and handling vehicle, the sealing system is moved horizontallyfrom the upper surface of the anchoring collar in such a manner as tomove it in sliding rotation around the aforementioned affixation pointopposite the axis of the casing which must be sealed. Again the meansfor positioning the sealing system are crude and conventional pulleymeans. Once in place, the anchoring brackets are moved and locked. Theset of locking and clamping systems of the nut and bolt type etc. amountto as many human interventions which are very difficult and verydangerous even if the flame was blown out before the diverse sealingmeans were put in place or if the jet is so strong that sufficientheight is left between the ground and the flame to operate the variousmechanisms while using conventional protective gear for the operators.

A major drawback of this procedure and this equipment derives from thehuman presence required to carry out the affixing and locking operationsof the positioning and anchoring elements of the sealing system. Suchdangers increase furthermore in the presence of blowout wells with acidgases.

The object of the present invention is to provide capping equipment fora freely gushing well without any human intervention in the immediatevicinity of the well. Another object of the invention is to design suchequipment so it can meet all freely gushing situations whether theblowout be gaseous or liquid, at an on-shore or off-shore site, with aminimum of equipment adaptation to the particular situation beingneeded.

Another object yet is to have such equipment available in reserve to beable to rapidly intervene, in view of the ease of disassembly of itscomponents and of transporting it because of such flexibility.

Again an object of the invention is to design such equipment which caneasily match various sealing diameters.

To meet these various objectives, the capping equipment of the inventioncomprises the following means:

a well-capping system to seal the well,

a system anchoring on the well to support the capping system in itscapping position,

a movable and inclinable positioning and support system for the cappingsystem and comprising a slide ramp, means for moving the capping systemon this slide ramp, and means for pivoting said capping system andmoving it above the end of the casing which must be sealed, the meansfor locking the anchoring system, for displacing, pivoting, positioningand anchoring the capping system being remote-controlled fluid systems.

In a first embodiment mode of the invention, the equipment comprises:

an anchoring system to the well, locked onto the best and strongest ormedian part of the cleared end of the casing of the blowout well,

a well-capping system to seal the well, placed in the capping positionon said anchoring system,

a mobile and inclinable support system positioning said capping systemon said casing, comprising a slide ramp, displacement means controlledremotely from said capping system on said slide ramp, and meansremote-controlled pivoting said slide ramp about a stationary componentrigidly joined to the anchoring system, the means locking the anchoringsystem onto the casing, the means for displacing, pivoting, anchoringand sealing the capping system on the casing as well as the meansinclining said positioning and support means being hydraulic means (moregenerally, fluid means), all remote-controlled.

The stationary component rigidly joined to the well consists of twocylindrically aligned shafts in sideways extension of said anchoringsystem and on which rest and cooperate the ends of the displacementmeans of the capping system. In this manner the capping-systemdisplacement means rest against the anchoring system.

Preferably the anchoring system shall include a support collar providingthe emplacement plane for an anchoring collar on the casing.

Preferably again the anchoring collar on the casing consists of twoparts:

a lower and an upper anchoring collar, the two collars being affixed tothe casing by chock-anchoring, said chocks being driven byremote-controlled hydraulic jacks.

The capping system comprises a capping bell with anchoring flanges andserves to support the sealing means, further including stoppers on thecasing.

Furthermore remote-controlled hydraulic-jack locking means are presentto affix the capping bell supporting the sealing means on the casing tothe anchoring collar, more specifically by the locking jacks rigidlyjoined to the upper anchoring collar acting on the anchoring collar inthe form of flange assembly of the capping bell.

The sealing means are known per se of the "blow-out preventer" type. Alltypes with their prescribed diameters are suitable.

In the invention, the positioning and support system of the cappingsystem consists of an inclinable and mobile slide ramp mounted on abrace and a stay, the two components hinging on an anchoring pointrigidly joined to a base plate applied against the ground. This baseplate by means of its footing provides the support stability and alsoavoids generating a bending torque on this part of the casing.

The displacement means of the capping system on the slide ramp alsoconsist of jacks of which the free ends rest against the stationarycomponent of the anchoring system.

The free jack ends are brackets resting against the stationarycomponents of the anchoring system, to wit, the extensions or aligningshafts of the anchoring collar. Such a design allows pivoting thecapping-system assembly around said shafts by means of the brackethinges of the free jack ends.

The means with which to pivot the slide ramp around the stationarycomponent of the anchoring system are pivoting jacks mounted by one oftheir ends to a hinge rigidly joined to the slide ramp.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the anchoring system and thecapping system are mounted jointly on the slide ramp and the inclinableand mobile system supporting them is mounted on a displaceable framewhich thereby allows moving the equipment in front of the jet.

In this variation, a clamped junction rigidly connected to the front endof the frame allows clamping the casing to be sealed.

This clamped junction advantageously consists of a housing with anaccess gate of which the arbitrary, hydraulically controlled closureallows affixing the equipment to the casing.

Other features and advantages of the invention are elucidated in thedescription below of an illustrative but non-restrictive embodiment ofthe invention shown in relation to the drawing.

FIG. 1 is an illustrative schematic of capping a blowout well in themanner of the prior art,

FIG. 2 is an overall schematic of the equipment of the invention in afirst embodiment mode,

FIG. 3a is a longitudinal section of the lower collar of the wellanchoring system,

FIG. 3b is a topview corresponding to the drawing of FIG. 3a,

FIG. 4a is a longitudinal section of the anchoring system,

FIG. 4b is topview corresponding to the drawing of FIG. 4a,

FIG. 5 is the inclinable and mobile positioning system of the cappingsystem,

FIG. 6 shows how the sealing means are put in place on the casing,

FIGS. 3 through 6 relate to the embodiment mode of FIG. 2 which hereinis called the invention's first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an overall schematic of a second embodiment mode of theinvention,

FIG. 8 is a topview of the system affixing the frame onto the casing tobe sealed within the scope of the equipment of FIG. 7.

Before an embodiment of the present invention shall be described, themost frequently capping procedure of the prior art shall be discussed inrelation to the schematic of FIG. 1.

In case of blowout, the first step is to cut by remote control and inknown manner the casing 100 in order to remove the upper part, that is,the production wellhead in the case of a producing well or the drillinghead if drilling is involved. After the cutting indicated by the upperedge 109, the attempt is made to clear, over a sufficient height, asegment of outstanding casing which is in good shape and strong: thiscan be done by digging the trench 110 around the string issuing over therequired depth schematically shown by the dimension h. Accordinglyvarious casings 101, 102 for instance are in the open in the form of aliner called the intermediate production casing denoted by 100 which isclear over a sufficient height. An anchoring system 103 with means foranchoring on the upper cleared height of the drilling head and withseals is affixed to this intermediate casing. Using a self-propelledvehicle 104 with boom and a winch and pulley mechanism 105, the sealingblock 106 is moved on the upper side 107 of the anchoring system 103. Afirst flange 108 is moved by operators or specialists into thesealing-block position shown by short dashed lines in FIG. 1. Thismanual operation entails grave dangers. Next the sealing assembly 106 isslipped onto the upper side 107 of the anchorage system by rotating itaround the unlocked flange 108 so it be axial with the gushingproduction casing.

Be it borne in mind that the locking of the flange 108 and also thelocking of the other omitted flanges of the sealing block centered onthe production casing are operations carried out at least in partmanually by operators which in this procedure also run severe risks. Inthe same way, the anchoring collar previously placed in two half-collarsentails human intervention to lock these two halves. Accordingly asequence of very dangerous operations takes place, yet without achievingsealing, mainly because of lack of alignment between the seal and thecasing of the well. This major drawback is overcome by the equipmentwhich is the object of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is the overall schematic showing the structure and the principleof operation of the capping equipment of the present invention.

There is no need to describe the preliminary operations known in the artand of which the purpose is to sever the surface elements of theproduction well and to prepare the casing issuing from the ground over asufficient length, this casing being denoted by 2 in FIG. 2.

In the previously described illustration, the production casing 2 waspreviously cleared over a height of 1.300 meters. It was properly recutand chamfered using an automatic rotary machine driven by compressed airbut omitted from the drawing.

The equipment of the invention comprises three main cooperating parts: asystem for anchoring on the well and denoted by 3, a capping systemdenoted by 4 and an inclinable and mobile system positioning the cappingsystem and denoted by 5.

The well anchoring system is elucidated not only by FIG. 2 but also andmainly by the details of FIGS. 3 and 4.

The well anchoring system comprises a support collar 9 and a collar 10for anchoring on the casing.

The support collar 9 consists of two parts in the form of tworapid-connect half-rings. This collar shall act as rest plane for theactual anchoring components by means of its plane upper side 9a (FIG.3a). The collar 10 for anchoring on the casing is mounted directly abovethe support collar. This anchoring collar consists of two axiallyabutting parts, namely a first part or lower anchoring collar 11(especially FIGS. 3a and 3b) and a second part or upper anchoring collar12. The lower anchoring collar 11 in turn is composed of twosemi-annular parts 11a and 11b linked by eye draw-bolts 25a and 25b. Itcomprises two schematically shown jacks 26a and 26b connected to anomitted hydraulic power station for remote control. These two jackscontrol the emplacement of the anchoring chocks 27 in a manner discussedbelow. Furthermore a yoke 28 is provided of which the upper side 28aprovides the support for the emplacement of the upper collar 12.

The upper collar is shown in the drawing of FIGS. 4a and 4b. This upperanchoring collar 12 also consists of two semi-annular parts 12a and 12b.Anchoring chocks 29, of which eight are shown in FIG. 4b, are insertedbetween the outer wall of the casing 2 and the inner diameters of thetwo parts 12a and 12b of the upper anchoring collar. The upper part ofthe upper anchoring collar is equipped with an automatic hydraulicconnector serving to affix the sealing block of the capping systemdenoted by the overall reference 4. This automatic hydraulic connectorcomprises four jacks 30 (FIGS. 4b, 6) of which the thrust shafts areradial along two perpendicular diameters and of which the free ends 30a(FIG. 6) shall rest against the anchoring flange 42 of the capping bell32 in order to achieve locking in a manner described below.

These hydraulic jacks 30 also are connected to the omitted hydraulicpower station. Also, the upper anchoring collar 12 comprises two sidebosses 31a and 31b fashioned in suitable manner and serving to receivethe alignment shafts 8 (FIG. 6) and supporting displacement means andallowing the capping system 4 to pivot on the anchoring system assembly3. As shown by FIG. 4b, the two side bosses 31a and 31b are machined soas to permit automatic positioning and hinging of the inclinable andmobile apparatus positioning the capping system 5.

Presently referring to the drawing of FIG. 5, the inclinable and mobilesystem for positioning the capping system 5 will be described.

It includes in the first place an articulating movable assembly whichcan be put together on site and essentially comprises a slide ramp 6, abrace 19 and a stay 20, the slide ramp itself consisting of two parallelrails 6a and 6b. This slide ramp can be inclined to the horizontal usingthe brace 19 and the stay 20, both of variable lengths which are settelescopically, for instance by means of hydraulic jacks which also areremote-controlled, the brace and the stay hinging on a common point 22affixed to a base plate 21 resting on the ground and allowing goodseating and high stability and avoiding the generation of a bendingtorque on this end of the pipes. The capping system comprising thecapping bell 32 and the adapter bush 37 can slide along the guide rails6a, 6b driven in translation by two jacks 33 with mobile plungers 34 ofwhich the ends are in the shape of brackets. Such a bracket 35 shallrest against the corresponding boss 31a or 31b of the upper anchoringcollar 12. Another hydraulic-jack system schematically denoted by 36allows orienting or pivoting the entire capping system relative to theplane of the slide ramp 6. The capping bell 32 supports the omitted wellsealing-block linked to said bell by a tubular sleeve or "spool" 37. Thepresent application does not describe in detail the well sealing block:it consists of the known assembly of sealing means of variablegeometries depending on the kind of blowout which are put on thewellhead and permit sealing it, which most of the time are called BOP(blowout preventers). Similarly the flanged tubular muff 37 is known perse and not described, being a short pipe stub with two flanges.

The movable parts 34 of the jacks 33 controlling the motion of thecapping assembly on the slide ramp are guided by rests 43 rigidly joinedto the slide ramp. The pivot jacks 36 of the capping assembly aremounted by their hinging pistons 45 to a point 44 on the slide ramp.

FIG. 6 shows the capping bell 32 on the anchoring system. The cappingbell 32 comprises two coaxial parts 32a and 32b. The two parts shall bepressed against each other and are separated by the sealing means. Thesesealing means comprise an annular projection or extension 39 on thelower part of the upper part 32a of the capping bell and an annular seal40 mounted on the casing and in a groove of the lower part 32b of thecapping bell. When the lower and upper parts 32a and 32b approach eachother, the seal 40 is compressed by the pressure from the projection 39and perfect sealing is thereby achieved. This nearing of the two partsof the capping bell is made possible by the hydraulic jacks 41 connectedin the manner of all jacks of the equipment of the present invention toa hydraulic power station omitted from the drawing. The movable end 41aof these jacks 41 is applied against the inclined surface 32c of thecollar-shaped flange at the base of the upper part 32a of the cappingbell 32, thus ensuring its centering as shown on FIG. 6. The annularsealing assembly 39, 40 preferably shall be a metal seal which whencrushed by the thrust of the hydraulic jacks shall seal the capping bellto the casing.

The equipment operates as follows: after part of the casing 2 wascleared with respect to the ground 1 over a sufficient height as alreadydiscussed above, and after it has been suitably cut and chamfered usinga remote-controlled rotary machine, the first operation is in emplacingthe two-part support-collar 9 which shall be the foundation for and thesupporting plane 9a of the anchoring-collar components 11 and 12.

First the lower anchoring collar 11 is mounted on the supporting plane9a of the support collar 9, this lower collar 11 to serve later as theseating support to the upper collar 12 using the yoke. The upper collar,which also is in two parts, is then mounted on the casing 2. First thetwo hydraulic jacks of the lower anchoring collar are pressurized. Thisstep serves to affix the lower and upper collars to the outside wall ofthe casing by chock anchoring. The hydraulic jacks are supplemented withscrew jacks allowing to shut off the pressure following jack anchoringand thus to secure permanent system anchoring reliability. The assemblyof mobile and inclining system of the capping system 5 essentiallyconsists of a slide ramp 6, the brace 19, the stay 20, and the baseplate, and it is moved on site and its operation is checked. The cappingbell 32 with the extension 37 on top of it and also the sealing block(BOP) is moved onto the horizontal guide rail. Next the capping bell ismounted on its cradle, the two approach jacks 7 being pressurized, thatis, their rods are fully extended. The free ends 34 of the equipmentjacks and comprising the brackets 35 snap onto the lateral bosses of theupper collar, rigorously speaking on the alignment shafts 8.

The slope of the slide ramp is arbitrarily adjusted by telescoping thebrace 19 and/or the stay 20. The capping assembly on the slide rampresting against the anchoring system 3 is displaced along the plane ofthe slide ramp or is pivoted with respect to it by means of displacementjacks 7 or pivoting jacks 36, all these jacks being remote-controlled tobring the capping assembly into a position coaxial with and above theupper end of the casing 2.

Again by remote-control of the displacement jacks 7, the capping bell 32is snapped in position on the casing 2 until it abuts the upper side ofthe anchoring system 3. The capping assembly then is locked in positionon the anchoring assembly using the jacks 30.

The two parts 32a and 32b of the capping bell then are moved towardseach other and the seal is thus made effective on the casing by crushingthe joint 40 by means of the jacks 41 with plungers 41a. The adaptersleeve 37 and the sealing block (known per se) with sealing jaws are inplace at this time. The capping of the blowout well has been achievedwithout human intervention because all the steps implementedhydraulically are so by remote control.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a variation of the equipment of the inventionwith total absence of human intervention.

Those mechanical components of the above described embodiment that areunchanged in the present one shall retain their numerals.

As shown by FIG. 7, the means for moving near the capping systemconsists of a frame 50 also called "skid". This skid is provided at itsfront and rear ends with flanges 51 to receive loading slings. Thesesame flanges will prevent any skid locking in the case of groundobstacles, in particular in the event of an abrupt rise. Be it notedthat in principle these flanges 51 do not touch the ground. The loadingslings--or rigging--are held in place by the raised end consisting ofthese flanges 51. This frame advantageously may consist of two parallelrunner-beams inter-connected by several braces. This frame replaces thestay 20 and the base plate 21. Two braces 19 hinge on 22 in a mannersimilar to that of the previous embodiment mode. The assembly comprisingthe frame 50, the braces 19 and the slide ramp 6 constitutes theinclinable and mobile position system of the capping system 5.

The end of the frame 50 which shall be opposite the casing 2 to besealed is shaped by a centering and guiding ramp 60 shown in FIG. 8.This ramp consists of two symmetric surfaces relative to the vertical,longitudinal, median plane of the frame. The frame 50 is moved closer tothe casing to be sealed until abutting either of the saidramp-constituting surfaces. In the presence of a longitudinalapproach-stress of the frame, this frame will center itself by thematching shape of the ramp 60.

A positioning means to casing 2 is associated with the end of the frame50 near said casing. This means consists of a housing 52 rigidly joinedto the end of the frame 50 by ribs 53. This cylindrical housing enclosestightly the casing 2 over its entire periphery. For that purpose itcomprises an access gate 55 capable of pivoting about an opening shaft54 and which can be locked onto the casing by a locking means 56 knownper se and remote-controlled by fluid or mechanical means. Anchoringchocks 57 sectorially distributed on the casing periphery by their axialdisplacement allow affixing the housing 52 onto the casing. Theseanchoring chocks can be remote-controlled in known manner and in thesame way as a known chock system.

In operation, the mobile positioning system of the capping system 5 ismoved against the casing with the gate 55 being open. While abutting thecasing, the gate 55 then is closed, the anchoring chocks 57 are moved toassure proper fixation of the housing 52 and consequently of the frame50 on the casing 2.

Shafts 58 are provided on the shaft-bearings 59 to receive the ends ofthe displacement jacks 7; the slide ramp 6 and the equipment it supportstherefore can pivot about said shafts 58 which serve the same functionas the alignment shafts 8 of the first embodiment mode of the invention.

The anchoring system 3 is identical in its structure and the arrangementof its components with the first embodiment mode, but in the second one,it is mounted on the slide ramp 6 like the capping assembly 4. Thisanchoring system is moved, pivoted and affixed to the casing using amobile positioning system 5. This anchoring system 3 shall not bediscussed further, having been amply described above in relation to thefirst embodiment mode.

The equipment of the embodiment variation operates as follows:

The inclinable and mobile support and positioning system 5 together withits slide ramp 6 supporting simultaneously the anchoring system 3 andthe capping system 4 is remote controlled by any known means acting onthe skid, by anchoring the rigging on the flanges 51 etc. and is made tobutt against the casing 2. The access gate 55 is closed on the casing,the assembly being fixed in place by the anchoring chocks 57. The slideramp 6 is moved in the vertical position by being pivoted around thehinge shafts 58 by the jack acting on the brace 19. Thereupon theanchoring system 3 is lowered on the mouth of the casing together withthe capping system (fitting and BOP) denoted by 4.

The emplacement of the anchoring system 3, that is the support collar 9and of the lower anchoring collar 11 of the upper anchoring collar 12 isperformed as in the first embodiment except for the changes alreadyconsidered.

The remote-control fluid means as a rule are known to the expert. Suchequipment consists of a hydraulic power station generating the fluidpressure, a control and repairs desk channelling this fluid to thedesired operation, and a network of conduits moving this pressurizedfluid to the component which shall carry out the particular controlfunction.

This hydraulic power station may be located a substantial distance awayto meet constraints of safety relating to the approaches of the wellduring operation.

The hydraulic power station also may be supplemented by a set of storagebatteries to store the required hydraulic energy to control the variouscomponents serving the diverse functions.

Similarly the control desk may be on site or if called for some distanceaway to meet safety requirements around the well.

We claim:
 1. Capping equipment for a freely gushing blowout well usedfor emplacing well-sealing means on the top of a well casing, which waspreviously cleared from the ground surrounding a platform, comprising:awell capping system to seal the well-casing, an anchoring system lockedonto the well-casing by locking means for supporting the well cappingsystem, and an inclinable and mobile support and positioning system forassisting in the emplacement of the well capping system on the top ofthe well-casing, including a mobile inclinable slide ramp, displacementmeans for moving the well capping system on this slide ramp, andpivoting and positioning means for pivoting said well capping system andpositioning it above the end of the well casing to be sealed; theanchoring system, said locking means for the anchoring system, thedisplacement means and the pivoting and positioning means of the wellcapping system being remote-controlled fluid means, wherein theanchoring system is locked on a lower part of a cleared and projectingend of the well-casing and the means pivoting the capping system hingeon a stationary component rigidly joined to the anchoring system andwherein the mobile, inclinable slide ramp is mounted on a brace and astay which hinge on one anchoring point of a face plate resting on theground.
 2. Equipment defined in claim 1, wherein the stationarycomponent solidly joined to the anchoring system consists of twoalignment shafts in extension of said anchoring system which cooperatewith at least one end of the displacing and pivoting means of thecapping system.
 3. Equipment defined in claim 1, wherein the anchoringsystem includes a support collar acting as a support plane for ananchoring collar when deposited on the well-casing.
 4. Equipment definedin claim 3, wherein the anchoring collar to the casing comprises twoparts: a lower anchoring collar and an upper anchoring collar, the twocollars being affixed to the casing by chock anchoring, said chocksbeing driven by remote-controlled hydraulic jacks.
 5. Equipment definedin claim 1, wherein the capping system comprises a capping bell with ananchoring flange which is pressed against the upper side of an anchoringcollar, and is locked to it by locking jacks acting on the anchoringflange.
 6. Equipment defined in claim 1, wherein the displacement meansof the capping system on the slide ramp consist of jacks having freeends which rest against the stationary component of the anchoringsystem.
 7. Equipment defined in claim 6, wherein said free ends of thedisplacement jacks are shaped as brackets resting against alignmentshafts included within the anchoring system.
 8. Equipment defined inclaim 1, wherein the means pivoting the capping system around ahorizontal shaft are pivoting jacks mounted by one of their ends to ahinge means rigidly joined to the slide ramp.
 9. Equipment defined inclaim 5, wherein the capping bell is composed of two coaxial partsmounted one on the other and including means for sealing the two coaxialparts on the casing.
 10. Equipment for capping a blowout well, definedin claim 1, wherein said capping system and said anchoring system aremounted together on the slide ramp and are rigidly joined to each otherin translation.
 11. Capping equipment defined in claim 10, wherein theinclinable and mobile support and positioning system of the cappingsystem and of the anchoring system on the slide ramp is mounted on aframe which can be displaced by remote-controlled means.
 12. Cappingequipment defined in claim 10, wherein a joint is provided at the frontend of the frame by clamping tight the casing to be sealed, said jointbeing rigidly affixed to said frame.
 13. Capping equipment defined inclaim 12, wherein the clamped joint consists of a housing with an accessgate to clamp the casing.
 14. Capping equipment defined in claim 13,wherein anchoring chocks are present against the casing and the housingto fix the joint in place by clamping against the casing.
 15. Equipmentdefined in claim 12, wherein the clamped joint comprises hinge shafts topivot the slide ramp of the inclinable and mobile support andpositioning system.
 16. Equipment defined in claim 1, wherein said freeends are plungers.